


the colors of hopes and wishes

by kunnskat



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Jon is their cousin, M/M, Mentions of Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark, Mentions of Lysa Arryn/Jon Arryn, Mentions of Lysa Arryn/Petyr Baelish, Mentions of Meera Reed/Bran Stark, Mentions of Sandor Clegane/Sansa Stark, Mentions of Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark, Modern AU, Rickon meets Shireen a lot later, Soulmate AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-16 02:48:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10562142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kunnskat/pseuds/kunnskat
Summary: Arya is three years old the first time she learns the definition of soulmate.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Because the world needs much more Arya/Jojen and I hope to inspire more people to create that 'more' of it.

Arya is three years old the first time she learns the definition of soulmate. 

Her aunt Lysa sits her down and tells her tales of forbidden love, loveless marriages and how soulmates are simply imaginary. She speaks of meeting Jon Arryn, of seeing proof of their bond on his body, and how she'd been pleased to meet the man that would one day be hers. She speaks of giving him a child, of their disappointment in each other, of how he took her son away, and of how she took him back with a man she'd come to love more than her soulmate. 

Lysa Arryn, for she keeps the name even after it all, fills Arya's head with dark tales when she is only three years old and her parents hesitate to allow aunt Lysa to watch any of their children after that. 

Her parents are not soulmates, but they tell their children that they'd loved theirs dearly when they'd known them and that though it hurts to have been parted, they were very lucky to love each other when it was all said and done. Arya rather likes their relationship and wants nothing more when she grows up. Soulmates are unnecessary. 

Arya is five years old when her brother Robb meets his soulmate who has given him sad colors, Arya does not ask the name and does not pretend to want to meet them, for aunt Lysa still whispers in her head that soulmates does not mean for ever. But what if they hurt him, should I not know their face to avenge him, her own voice whispers back. No one gets to hurt my brothers. Or sister. 

She finally deigns to meet this soulmate when she is six, glaring and growling and making sure her brother will be safe if only with her being the only one to know that she will go through with her threats if she must. Theon Greyjoy thinks her a holy terror despite his lack of fear for her, but Arya cares not so long as her brother's heart is safe. 

It takes another three years, she is nine now, for the next of their siblings to meet their soulmate. Sansa who has grown up with amused and smug colors all over, looks wide-eyed up at Sandor Clegane, a man who fights for a living, and doesn't it all just make so much sense now. Of course, Arya hates him almost twice as much as she hates Theon but she's also quite pleased that her sister will be protected, should this worst shit in the world turn out not to be the worst shit in the world.

Sandor aches for vengeance, she can see it, it's darker in him than in Theon, but she still likes him better. 

She turns twelve when she learns that Bran has met his soulmate, a girl older than him and the daughter of their father's friend. She's very kind to Arya when they meet as Arya nears thirteen, but does not hesitate to smack anyone on the back of their head if necessary. Despite her over-protectiveness, Arya finds that she likes her. More than all of the others. Meera Reed is strong and capable and Arya has been reassured by several that she, and her family, are loyal to the Starks. None of them would ever want to hurt them. 

Perhaps there's something to this soulmate thing after all. Theon has yet to stray from Robb, though he's still dumb as far as she's concerned. Sandor does not bother to even consider straying from Sansa, though with that burn perhaps there's a reason for it other than 'love'. And Meera is patience reborn with Bran. 

It does not mean she wants one of her own, however. 

She is thirteen when Meera brings her brother Jojen Reed, so that he may get to know the family she will one day join. She is thirteen when she sees on him the colors of her worry and fear and anger and need to protect. Her wrath thrown onto his skin like he is a punching bag created for her own pleasure, and she feels guilt, a tiny bruise of the color distorting some of the darkness on his skin, which contrasts so to the brightness of hers, his hope and wishes for all to see as she had grown up. 

Jojen smiles at her and she does not glare at him.


End file.
